11 Sanjay Leela Bhansali facts you should know – one of the best Indian director known for Heeramandi, Bajirao Mastani, Devdas and Padmavat.
Higlights
About Music.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali along with music director Ismail Darbar and Birju Maharaj took two-and-a-half years to compose the music for iconic Devdas starring Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit.
Sawariya inspiration.
SLB’s Saawariya was inspired by Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “White Nights” and it was the first India film to be produced by a Hollywood studio – Sony Pictures.
Who was first choice for Padmavat’s Khilji?
Shah Rukh Khan revealed in an interview that first Sanjay wanted him to play Khilji in Padmavat, but DDLJ actor respectfully refused the role as he would have made people like and idolize Khilzi, like happened in Don and Baazigar.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s first choice for actress.
Bajirao Mastani director admitted that he couldn’t think of a new project without visualizing Aishwarya Rai in it after the duo worked together in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas and Guzaarish but because of date issue the pair couldn’t work together again. The actress also revealed she was offered Bajirao Mastani and Pamavat but he couldn’t finalize the male lead on time and date issues happened.
About his name.
In Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s name, ‘Leela’ is his mother’s name who used to sew clothes to make ends meet.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Jhalak Dikhla Ja.
Bhansali also appeared as a judge in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (2006) along with Farah Khan and Shilpa Shetty, times when reality TV shows were more about talent and less about drama and comedy.
Black remake
His acclaimed film Black starring Rani Mukherji and Amitabh Bachchan has also been remade in Turkey with title ‘Benim Dunyam’.
As Producer.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is also a producer and has produced Akshay Kumar’s Rowdy Rathore, Priyanka Chopra‘s Mary Kom and the TV show Saraswatichandra.
SLB movies with love triangle.
Another Sanjay Leela Bhansali facts is fascinated by love triangles (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas and Bajirao Mastani) and he likes to make movies about love stories. The actor admitted in an interview that he can’t make films on social issues.
Influenced by.
Padmavat director is hugely influenced by Mughl-E-Azham and has seen it more than 25 times. He also described his leading ladies as the daughter Guru Dutt and Meena Kumari if they had one.
About his chewing gum.
Goliyon Ki Raasleela : Raam-leela director revealed in an interview that he likes to chew a gum or keep snacking on popcorns etc. while sitting on monitor behind the camera and directing the movie because that’s what keeps him occupied and not shout out of angel when things are not going right on the sets. This one is probably one of the most interesting Sanjay Leela Bhansali facts as he is often seen chewing gum and had a few actors talk about difficulty in working with the director.